Target acquisition is usually covered from our perspective when in a combat situation we need to have the awareness to recognise and engage targets as and when they are presented to us. Here though we are going to look at target acquisition from the perspective of the wolf.

As our thoughts and prayers go out to those who have suffered and are suffering from the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon this week, it is another wake up call and a reminder that complacency can creep up not only on an individual, but also on a community and a country.

Today's battlefields have changed since 2003, the enemy no longer wears a uniform, has no respect for the Geneva Convention and does not distinguish from combatants and none combatants. Everyone is a potential target.

Terrorists today are just as likely to look like this.

As much as this.

This is a fact and encompasses the whole of the wolf pack, from the terrorist to the serial killer, kidnapper, rapist and down to the lowly mugger. None are concerned with your age or your gender and depending on their social, philosophical, ideological, religious beliefs or mental state, they will all have specific target designations that they will actively acquire.It does not matter if the target is an individual person, an event, an industrial complex or a shopping mall. They all have one thing in common, they will all be what is classed as a soft target.Attacking soft targets is not a new phenomena, during in WWII resistance fighters and small units of SF would attack rail routes, bridges, factories and docks, all soft targets and attacked to disrupt troop and supply movements, to tie up troops which would otherwise be engaged in frontline combat and to undermine the moral of the German forces.In the military we are taught to 'Hard Target' especially when leaving buildings or crossing open ground. By sprinting and zigzagging it makes it harder for a sniper or other enemy combatants from zeroing in on us for a kill shot.Target hardening is what you as an individual must do to avoid becoming a soft target. You need to do this not only physically and mentally but every part of your life must be hardened against attack. Your daily life should offer no easy access to any variety of wolf. This includes your family, home, vehicle, work place, routines or better still lack of them. Measures must be adopted which will make the wolf go and look elsewhere for a softer target.Businesses need to harden their immediate suroundings, staff need to be trained in anti-terrorism procedures, and all forms of information must be secured and all procedures routinely checked and tested.Communities can be hardened through training programs to help with self policing and to foster a better community spirit where helping your neighbour becomes once again a common occurrence.Your life is your responsibility and it is your responsibility to protect it at all costs.Would you call this in or leave it up to someone else? If you wouldn't call it in why not?

I have a number of phrases that I use to help people keep focused, to help them keep switched on and not let complacency creep up on them.'Just because it looks like nothing is going on, doesn't mean nothing is going on'Stay DangerousRock

Sound Blog. It is difficult to imbue the American Sheeple with the notions of Personal Responsibility for their safety. The American Sheepiticans have done a terrific job of pulling THEIR wool over the Sheeple's eyes. I have been in the continuous loop of being trained, operating and teaching Military/LE and AmCits for the better part of 35 years. I have found the most difficult classes are Mindset, then Awareness Techniques to "Civilians" and LE. Many of them believe that by carrying the handgun and/or THE BADGE will curtail any and all aggression. For the LE Guys and Gals it is also difficult to get them to understand that the handgun is DEFENSIVE, you use it to fight back to your rifle since you neglected to bring it to the fight initially.

Cheers, Bsafe and watch UR6,

Lew

Reply

Rock

4/19/2013 02:44:56 am

Hi Lew

Thanks for your comment. It still goes back to the old mindset of 'It won't happen to me' or people are more scared of being scared and then stick their heads in the sand and hope for the best.

There are some good self protection instructors out there who train people in awareness techniques but I have found it is the martial arts hobbyist that lack this knowledge and concentrate on the final act of physical combat.

LE personnel can be just as bad, I have just watched an arrest for the last 30 minutes, 3 officers and 1 suspect, all three officers at some point were within handshake range and one officer was trying to search the suspect while holding the suspects wrists which were cuffed. No multple officer tactics and no awareness that the suspect was getting more and more agitated.

LE do need to understand that they need to be able to change from an LE mindset into a military mindset when dealing with combat.

Not dating myself, but I find Jeff Cooper's Color Code Conditions of Awareness helpful (Condition White = Oblivious / Switched Off to Code Red = Attack Mode / Switched On) for maintaining situational awareness and determining what posture / arming stance to take. I also like the sheep, wolf, and sheepdog analogy for determining one's role and corresponding mindset. As a retired Marine with some AT/CT exposure who is now a public HS teacher, I am finding the school wide "See Something /Hear Something / Say Something" mantra well accepted by students, teachers, and staff. Following Newtown, we conducted a school seminar where we focused on the theme the school is a series of teams, we loove out for each other, and if someone tries to hurt one of us they are trying to hurt all of us...etc. You can start to change an organizational level of awareness but it takes leadership (our principal), focus, and time.

Reply

Rock

4/19/2013 09:19:26 am

Hi Bob

Cooper colour codes are an invaluable tool which can be used by everyone. The sheep and wolf analogies perfectly fit within what is happening in today's society but for my view of the sheepdog check on my past blogs.

Nice to hear of your work within schools. Which have taken the brunt of active shooter incidents of late. Do you think that if there were not as many incidents then school boards would not be so quick to implement new training ideas?

Though the gun debate within schools is still far from being solved. That is for another discussion I think.